Improvement in cotton-presses



E. L. MORSE.

Cotton-Presses.

Patented March '3. 18 74- *HHHHH INVENTOR:

ATTESTi r W J.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

EDMUND L. MORSE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURL-ASSIGNOR OF ONEIIALE HIS RIGHT TO JOSEPH W. BRANCH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTQN-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,079, dated March 3, 1874; application tiled December 1, 1873. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND L. MORSE, of

. St. Louis, St. Louis county, Missouri, have inments on my patents numbered, respectively,

63,808 and 83,783, and dated April 16, 1867, and November 3, 1868. The first part of my improvement consists in the combination of a toggleandscrew purchase or leverage, by which the platen is drawn up, as hereinafter described. 'The second part of my improvement consists in making the face of the platens convex, so as to compress the center of the bale in advance of the sides, to force the air out before its escape isresisted to so great an extent by increased density'ofthe cotton at the sides.

Figure l is a side elevation of the press with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the face of the lower platen, showing its convex form.

A is the frame of the machine. B is a screwshaft placed centrally in the frame and running from end to end. This shaft has screw-worms O G engaging the teeth (I of the cog'sectors D. The cog-sectors oscillate in bearings E. F is an arm extending upward from each sector, and which forms one member of the toggle, of which G forms the other member. These toggles are hinged together at f, and the member G is hinged on the pivotpin H, by which it is connected to the upper ends of the platen suspension-rods I. K is the lower or moving platen, and L is the upper or fixed platen. The faces 70 of both platens are made convex, so as to produce pressure on the central part of thebale in advance of the outside, for the purpose of forcing the air out from the center before the outside is so tightly compressed as to render the escape of the air difficult. The ends of the arms F are braced by struts d extending to the body of the sectors. The tops of the two toggles are connected together by a stay-bar, M, whose ends are secured to the pins H. At one end of the shaft B is a cog-wheel, N, engaged by a pinion, 0, upon a shaft, P. The shaft 1 carries two loose pulleys, Q and It, turned in opposite directions by a straight and a crossed belt, q r, from a shaft overhead. The inner sides of the pulleys are chambered out conically, so as to form the female member-of the friction-clutch, of which the double conical block S forms the male member. The double cone S slides on the shaft 1? endwise, and is connected to the shaft by a featherkey, 1), so as to turn therewith and communicate to the shaft rotation from either of the loose pulleys with which the clutch may be engaged. The clutch-cone is moved endwise, to engage it with one of the pulleys, by a fork, T, on a sliding bar, U, or upon a lever operated by said bar. The other end of the bar U is connected to a lever, V, fulcrumed at o, by which the clutch is operated by hand. Upon the inner side of the bars U are lugs u, (see dotted lines,)

which are acted on by tappets W on the suspension-rod I to disengage the clutch-cone S from whichever of the pulleys (Q or It) it may be engaged with when the platen reaches the end of its stroke, so as to arrest the motion of the platen, &c., and prevent damage to the parts by moving beyond a certain point. These tappets W may be made adjustable on the rod I to regulate the movement of the platen.

I claim as my invention--.

1. The sector D, fixed bearings E, wormgear (harm or toggle link G,.and platens K and L, all constructed and combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The sector D, the worm 0, link G, suspension-rods I, and stay-bar M, in combina tion with platens K and L, substantially as set forth.

3. The platen K or L, when made with a bulging or convex face, is, substantially as set forth.

Witnesses: EDMUND L. MORSE.

SAML. KNIGHT, ROBERT BURNS. 

